Wichita State used a 23-8 run over the final 8:34 of the first half to take a 45-28 lead.

Hardin, the two-time MVC Defensive Player of the Year, scored twice from long range and Bonner added a baseline jumper to start the run. Price chipped in with a three-point play to push the lead to 33-20.

Drake, which upset top-seeded Indiana State in Saturday’s semifinals, never got closer than 17 points in the second half.

“The thing that we’re going to take out of this is we’re not that far off,” Drake coach Jennie Baranczyk said. “We’ve grown a lot over this year.”

The Shockers, who beat Drake twice in the regular season, have won four in a row after dropping three straight from Feb. 23-March 1.

Wichita State lost to Texas A&M 71-45 in the first round of last year’s NCAA tournament in its first appearance.